Teaching's Not My Thing
by Infinite Inficio
Summary: Naruto never expected that his team of genin would consist of an arrogant clan heir, a victory seeking kunoichi and a 'hopeless dropout'... As they have to figure out the mistery behind a familiar bridge's sabotage, would things get worse?
1. First Day

RRRINGG! RRRIINGG!

Naruto's alarm clock rang.

He groaned. 'It's too early for this…' his left arm shot out of the blanket, and reached for the clock on the bedside table. After finally returning from a difficult A-rank mission, he was finally able to get back to his apartment and take a nap.

Unfortunately for him, it didn't excuse him from escaping that day's activities. Rather reluctantly, after his fingers didn't simply fumble on the clock and actually pressed the button to turn off the alarm, he got out of bed.

Naruto walked towards the bathroom (though "dragged himself" would've been a more accurate word), and washed his face lazily.

After he was in his usual orange attire, he put on his vest. Orange clashed horribly with the dull shade of green, but Naruto was never one for colour coordination. Already a jounin, and already one step closer to being the next Hokage.

He glanced at the date on the calendar.

It was circled, with a handwritten note: MEET GENIN TEAM TODAY

He grinned, and remembered his old team.

'_Me, Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei, and…'_

His grin turned into a thoughtful frown.

'_Sasuke…'_

Whether his body was already used as Orochimaru's vessel, or he ran away, nobody knew, but it wasn't like the people of Konoha would like to remember, anyway.

Besides, it's not good to dwell on the past. 'Yosh! I'm gonna show those genin what I'm made of!' he thought, and excitedly, he zoomed out of his apartment, and towards the Ninja Academy, where the new graduates were waiting for their jounin sensei.

He was rapidly approaching the academy, as he saw Haruno Sakura (who started being a jounin as well, since a few months back) having a pleasant chat with one of her medic-nin friends. Normally he would do the same as well, but time was certainly running out.

'Morning, Naruto!' Sakura greeted at the running Naruto.

'Morning, Sakura-chan!' Naruto replied, and then he increased his speed. 'Gottagobye!'

'What's the matter with him?' Sakura muttered.

'I don't know Sakura-san, but it must be something important for him to miss out on asking you to another date!'

Sakura flustered, before playfully hitting her friend on the back, chuckling along with her.

* * *

A boy with hazel eyes sighed, as he continued swinging back and forth with his chair. He was the number-one rookie of their year, Kien Kazuki, though his ego was bigger than his arsenal of skills. He readjusted the forehead protector on his head, making sure it looked just right.

'This is boring…' the boy whined, impatient as he was arrogant. 'Where's our jounin teacher? We're the only ones left!'

The girl next to him huffed; she certainly had no desire to be in the same team with such an arrogant boy. He might have talents, but the way he kept mentioning the greatness of his clan was enough to put off anyone from admiring him.

'You are being impatient, Kazuki.' She herself was annoyed, but she felt that the number-one rookie would at least have some self control. She brushed off the dark strands from her face, still wanting to keep a neat appearance in front of the jounin who would be her sensei, whoever he may be.

'Well, I'm bored too!' another boy named Nobu piped in. However, unlike Kazuki, he was on the opposite side of the spectrum, being nicknamed the "drop-out" of their year, because of his skills (rather, the lack thereof) 'This sucks!'

Kazuki smiled, glad that at least one of his teammates agreed with him. Now it was to persuade the other one to see it his way. 'Aw, come on, Chikako, quit being a stick in the mud. If you're bored, you can always say so.'

'How about _I_ shove a stick up your _ass_?' Chikako unexpectedly snapped, despite being quiet for most of their classes. Kazuki gaped, unable to speak, but knew better than to continue on.

Noticing the tense atmosphere, Nobu tried to bring up a more pleasant topic.

'This is great! We're actual ninjas now!'

However, Chikako, being in a bad mood, made the situation just as bad. 'Nobu, I'm surprised you even passed. And Kazuki, quit acting stupid.'

'That wasn't very nice… And I'm not acting stupid! No one from the Kien clan is imperfect in any way!'

'Says you. The Kotone clan kicks more butt than a Kien would be able to count, judging from _your_ intelligence.'

'I'm not in any clan, but I'll be better from _anyone_ in both the Kotone and Kien clan! It doesn't matter what clan you come from, if you-'

The kunoichi and the first boy glared.

'_No one_ can defeat _my_ clan!' they both said in unison.

'Hey hey, sorry I'm late!' Naruto burst through the door, grinning guiltily. 'I thought that I'd just be a bit late, but they changed the time of the meeting, and at that time I wasn't in the village!'

'Umm… it's okay, I guess?' Kazuki said.

Naruto grabbed a seat, and signaled for the three little genin to do the same. 'Don't be so nervous. I'm not going to bite.'

Quite awkwardly, the trio sat down (except for Kazuki, who could rarely be described with such a word). Chikako made sure she kept enough distance between her and the two boys before finally settling down on her seat comfortably.

* * *

'Well…' Naruto started, scratching his cheek, which turned slightly pink. 'What do you say we get to know each other first?'

'Umm… why should we do that?' the girl of the team questioned sharply.

Naruto, expecting an answer within the realm of "Yeah, let's!" (or anything equally enthusiastic), was unsure of what to reply.

'Y'know… to get closer to each other… and… stuff…' Naruto replied. 'Just basic stuff, like your name... the reason you chose the path of a shinobi, of course... you must have dreams of your own, too... and your likes and dislikes! Heh...'

Then a great idea dawned upon him. 'Hey! I know! _You_ can start!' he exclaimed, pointing at the girl

'No, I... I don't really-'

'Sensei! Pick me, pick me!' Kazuki yelled with the enthusiasm Naruto expected from young genin. 'I'll start!'

Chikako, annoyed that she was interrupted by the boy, hurriedly added, 'Why don't _you_ go first, sensei?'

Naruto shrugged, smiling. 'Fine by me, but your friend seemed really enthusiastic to begin.'

'No,' Kazuki said gloomily. 'Go ahead.'

'My name is Uzumaki Naruto, so feel free to just call me Naruto-sensei! I decided to become a ninja so the villagers recognise me! The things I like are my friends, which you guys will eventually become, I hope, and ramen. I know this great place that serves it both delicious _and_ cheap.'

'Really? Where?' Nobu asked, curious, before realising the situation wasn't right for such a question, and closed his mouth.

'As for what I don't like… well… that darn two minutes I have to wait for until I can my instant ramen!' Then he laughed good-heartedly.

'Lastly… my dream is to become the next Hokage! My hobby is to eat ramen, hang out with my friends and train! Now, to see whether you've been listening or not; what is my favourite food?'

'Ramen,' all three said in unison.

'Correct! Anyway, it's your turn, guys! I can't wait to know about you!'

With his enthusiasm for making himself known to everyone back, Kazuki shouted, as his arm waved in the air. 'Ooh! Me! Me! Can I go first? A Kien _always_ goes first,' the boy said proudly.

'Sure! Go ahead.'

He cleared his throat. 'Okay. My name is Kien Kazuki, from the prestigious Kien clan! I became a ninja because it was expected of me, and I got the highest marks, as expected of me, of course…'

The kunoichi snorted, but Kazuki decided to ignore this, and as he continued to speak, his eyes gleamed.

What I like and admire the most would be the Kien clan! We're all so great and talented and we're so going to become a threat to the Hyuuga clan's fame! Not that our skills pale compared to theirs, their clan is just bigger so they get more famous! What I hate are people who don't like me or the Kien clan!' Kazuki said with pride, shouting out all of his sentences.

'_Please_ put me on your hate list,' Chikako commented in a small voice, not actually wanting to anger Kazuki; it was obvious how much he loved his clan.

Naruto laughed nervously. 'Just... continue on, Kazuki.'

'Someday I'm going to become the most powerful Kien and make my clan the most well-known out of all Fire Country clans, and our fame will reach other countries! My hobby is bathing in the hot springs; especially after a long day of honing my skills.'

As he finished, he drew in a big breath. 'How was that, Naruto-sensei?'

'That was… straightforward, and full of confidence. How about… you?' Naruto pointed at the other boy, who didn't hide his anticipation for his turn very well.

'Oh, me? Well… I'm Hagane Nobu. I'm not from any special clans or anything, but I want to show everyone that I can still be a great ninja! I like a lot of things, especially my family… and my friends… and great shinobi like Naruto-sensei…'

'We're not here to suck up to people, idiot,' the sharp-tongued kunoichi commented yet again.

Nobu decided to ignore her, and continued, still trying to keep his voice calm and cool (not that he was succeeding).

'… and I like most kind of food. I'm not picky. I hate people who take things for their outer values and puts down others' efforts! My hobby is to take relaxing walks, but I usually train to improve. Is that all, Naruto-sensei?'

'Yes, that's all. Well done. Now the one we've been waiting for, the kunoichi of the team!'

Chikako gritted her teeth, as her two teammates chuckled at Naruto's last sentence. Then she began in a loud voice:

'I'm Kotone Chikako, from the not-so-prestigious Kotone clan. I aspire to become a master at taijutsu and make gain admiration for those who carries the name Kotone, as Konoha's best at taijutsu!'

There was silence, until Kazuki decided to comment on her dream. 'You're like, technically saying what I just said, except you made it sound fancy with longer words!'

'Oh, please forgive me. I didn't mean to steal ideas from the great Kien clan!'

Not quite catching the sarcasm in her voice, Kazuki merely smirked proudly. 'Well, it's okay.'

'I became a ninja to make turn that dream into reality. So as the first step, I will earn victory in a match against my brother! When I have spare time, I read books on ninja techniques, or train. What I also like to do is gather information, and things I'm skilled at.'

Yet another pause.

'Wow,' Nobu started with awe, as he tugged slightly on Kazuki's sleeve. 'She does use fancy long words.'

'I told you so.'

'... What I hated to do in the academy was taijutsu training, or things I'm not good at.'

'Great! Now we've known a little bit more about each other. It's nice to know that my team consists of... such a variety of people.'

Chikako frowned._ 'This is just great. One of my team mates is an idiotic stuck-up and the other one is an idiotic _suck-up_…'_

Naruto got up from his seat.

'Well... now I'm going to give you guys a little test.'

'But we just started!' Nobu complained, with a worried look on his face. 'You're already testing us?'

'It's just a little evaluation of your skills. Now tell me; have any of you eaten lunch yet?'

The three shook their heads. Seeing this, Naruto nodded. 'That's good, then. Because if you have, you'll just throw up anyway.'

Hearing this, the other two genin started to pay attention.

'Excuse me?' Chikako started. 'I think that-'

'Follow me, guys,' Naruto said, cutting her complaint, as he stood up. 'Were going to a particular favourite training ground of mine.'


	2. The Bell Test

'Okay, so if you guys pass, as a reward, I'm going to take you to the best place in Konohagakure!' Naruto shouted.

'Which is…?' Chikako questioned, unsure if her opinion on which place would be the "best place in Konohagakure" was the same as him.

'Aww… Don't be so suspicious, I'm sure you'll like it! Besides, I don't want to spoil the surprise!' Naruto grinned.

'So this is what you have to do…' He rummaged through his pockets, trying to find whatever he was looking for, and grasped them in his hands.

'Aha! Here they are!' He held out two small-sized bells, hanging on red strings. They gave soft chimes as a small gust blew over the training ground.

'Bells?' Kazuki commented, not finding anything remotely exciting about them. 'What do we have to do with them? This is _so_ below the Kien standards…'

'Oh, be quiet, already,' Nobu argued. 'I bet Naruto-sensei has planned something great all along!'

'_He's definitely trying to be the favourite…'_ Chikako thought, narrowing their eyes.

'Actually, contrary to your beliefs, Chikako, Kazuki... Nobu's right; I _have_ got things planned…' Naruto said. He shook the bells, and they gave out louder chimes this time, attracting the three genin's attention.

'I'd like you to try and steal a bell from me! The time limit is thirty minutes!' he announced, as he set an alarm on a small clock he'd been carrying in his vest, before putting it back to where it was.

'But there's only two bells, Naruto-sensei,' Chikako pointed out. 'We can't all get a bell. What happens to the person who doesn't get a bell?'

Nobu gasped. 'Oh no! Is that person gonna be punished?' He obviously had doubts in his own ability to get a bell, much less from a jounin. Kazuki, on the other hand, looked up to the challenge, and was smiling excitedly.

'Well, the one who's unable to get a bell will be…' Naruto pointed to his right, where three huge logs were conveniently placed, 'tied to a log and won't be released until an hour, in which the ones who _did_ get the bell laugh at the poor, unsuccessful one.' Naruto explained.

'Also, you guys haven't had lunch, right? It'd be such a horrid experience, being left alone in this training ground, while your teammates and I go to the best place in this village.'

'Now I'm sure that this so-called "best place" is a restaurant,' Chikako muttered, but Kazuki was too excited, and Nobu too shocked to hear her. After a bit of thinking, Nobu was right to be worried. Chikako frowned at the thought of going against a jounin.

Kazuki grinned proudly, sure that he'll get a bell. Nobu looked pale, before attempting to have the same confident expression as Kazuki's.

'Just relax, guys, I'll go easy on you!'

'_I'm _definitely_ going to get a bell!'_ Kazuki thought confidently.

'_I don't really know how strong Naruto-sensei is, and I don't like the idea of fighting him, but I don't want to lose…'_

'_I'll prove that I'm not a dropout!'_ Nobu thought, determined to prove his worth.

As the three prepared their attacking stance, Naruto put up a finger to stop them before they start pulling off their moves.

'One more thing…' Naruto said. 'Be sure to go against me with murderous intent.'

That just completely freaked out the three genin.

'_Shouldn't we be working in teams, instead of individually? Or is this to test our strength?' _Chikako pondered, as she took out a kunai, and ran towards Naruto with all her might.

Kazuki, catching up on the situation, pulled out his own and did a similar approach. Within a few seconds, he already caught up with the kunoichi, and in a shorter time span overtook her.

'Tch.' At times like this, Chikako wanted to take the weights that she attached to her legs. She wasn't very quick to begin with, and these weights dragged her down, but they were a customary tradition in the Kotone clan. She attempted to speed up, but was still far behind from the swift Kazuki.

Taking example from how swift his teammates were in starting an attack, Nobu fumbled over his weapons holster, unsure on which weapon to use, before deciding on attacking with a kunai as well.

'Whoa, you guys are sure hasty,' Naruto commented, before casually making hand seals.

_Kage bunshin no Jutsu!_

Two extra copies of him appeared, with the same relaxed, yet taunting expression on their faces.

'Come on, guys! I bet you can do better!' Naruto 1, 2 and 3 shouted, egging the genin on.

Chikako ran towards one of the copies with no fear, knowing very well that a bunshin was a mere illusion; one of the most basic techniques in the academy.

'_It's only a bunshin, so it shouldn't be able to-' _

However, before Chikako finished her trail of thought, Naruto 2 landed a punch on her, and knocked her back. Too shocked to get on her feet at once, Chikako merely gaped, as the copy drew back his arm.

She realised the seals her sensei used were different, she only brushed it off as being a different combination of hand seals. It was unfortunate for her that she never thought about the possibility of the copies being a different kind of bunshin.

'Chikako, I'm not going to go easy on a girl,' the copy warned. 'Don't be careless.'

Chikako rubbed her hand across her face, and felt the bruise.

'H-how…?'

Seeing his teammate's fate, Kazuki decided not to take Naruto so lightly, and knew better than to think it was just an illusionary bunshin.

'_It must be a different kind of bunshin; seeing the terrain, maybe they're rock bunshin?'_ Kazuki thought. Whatever type of bunshin they may be, it didn't matter to him, since he'd just attack them straight on, but it was good to know what you're going up against.

'Argh! I can't lose against some stupid replication!' Kazuki screamed, but he managed to avoid the attacks better than Chikako did, and fared for almost a minute, before getting knocked back by the other Naruto copy.

Naruto grinned, and swinged the bells back and forth, as the three genin turned their heads towards him. 'I'm the real one!'

Nobu, who didn't quite start his attack yet, took a few steps back, his kunai almost falling out of his hand.

'You're lucky, Nobu, you get to go against the real me!'

'LUCKY?' Nobu shouted. 'ARE YOU KIDDING ME?'

Nevertheless, Nobu finally made up his mind to run towards the jounin, and managed to block a few kicks and punches, before receiving the same fate as his teammates.

The two copies disappeared in clouds of smokes.

'Is this all you guys have? Man, I haven't even started using weapons yet…'

'WE'VE JUST GRADUATED!' Chikako rebutted, defending her own honour.

'MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!' Kazuki piped up, finally managing to agree on something with the kunoichi.

'When I was your age, I was already able to do Kage bunshin no Jutsu! You guys can do more than just run at me with a kunai, can't you? You guys are pathetic.'

There were two things there that caught Chikako's attention. 1) Naruto-sensei being able to create Kage bunshin, which would explain how his replications attacked, and 2) Being called pathetic.

Apparently, Kazuki didn't like to have blows on his ego, either. However, it seemed to have a good effect on him, as his fighting spirit was raised back.

'That's it!' Kazuki yelled, as he got up on his own. 'No one calls me pathetic, and gets away with it! I'll use my new, awesome jutsu; just for you, Naruto-sensei!'

Kazuki threw some smoke bombs, and waited until they exploded to give him some cover, before starting his jutsu.

**_Doton- Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu!_**

'_What did he do?'_ Chikako thought, as the smoke cleared, revealing that Kazuki was no longer in his original location. _'I don't remember being taught any jutsu like this…'_

Chikako was starting to see how Kazuki became the number-one rookie; he was quicker, and though she knew more jutsu than him, the amount of jutsu he can perform outdid hers. No matter how much she didn't want to admit it, he was smarter in battle too...

'Hmm… now where is he?' Naruto said.

Suddenly, two hands shot up from the ground and attempted to grab at Naruto's ankles; seeing the arm guards on the upper arm, they belonged to Kazuki. Unfortunately for him, before his hands even emerged from the ground Naruto jumped up, easily avoiding his ambush.

'You almost got me there, Kazuki!' Naruto praised.

Kazuki dug his way out of the ground, and coughed up some dirt from his mouth. He rubbed his hands together in order to get the dirt off them, and dusted his shirt.

'Damn it! –cough- I haven't perfected it yet!'

Then he proceeded to clean his dirtied fingernails, abandoning the thought of coming up with other ideas to snatch a bell from the jounin.

'Well, if he's going to show his moves to you, then I will too!' Chikako shouted.

'That's better! Though personally, I think you shouldn't announce the fact that you're attacking in an actual battle.'

Oh, how Chikako wanted to show off the great techniques of the taijutsu-focused Kotone clan, but she didn't have any of those great techniques mastered.

In fact, she was horrible at it. She had the speed of a snail, and her weights certainly weren't helping. Her stamina was very low, too, and she had troubles memorising taijutsu moves, but she had the reputation of the clan to hold.

Thinking back on it, she was far worse than even Nobu, who lacked the ability to do _anything_ right. Nevertheless, she's still going to do it; she was going to show Naruto-sensei what the Kotone clan was made of.

Hopefully.

She threw some shuriken towards Naruto (which he avoided with such ease you'd think he was the one controlling them), and advanced towards him, trying to remember the basic Kotone drill.

'_Punch to the left…__ kick his right ankle… then flip, and kick his stomach with the other foot… and… elbow his left shoulder… head-butt if all legs and arms aren't free… then when they're released, spin and kick the face…'_

Chikako did just that (quite sloppily), and contrary to her doubts, hit every single time. After relishing in the fact that she managed to actually hit Naruto for a few short seconds, logic came back to her.

'_Wait… how can a simple taijutsu drill defeat a jounin so easily?'_

Then she realised.

'_It must be a k__awarimi!'_

Chikako backed away from the log, with her stamina drained out already.

'_All __that effort wasted on a log? Chikako, you're really smart…'_ she thought, annoyed.

'My technique is better than yours!' Kazuki yelled, finally finished with his fingernails. 'If that's the _greatness_ of the Kotone clan, then-'

'This isn't the time to say that!' Chikako backfired, interrupting the boy before he got a chance to insult her clan.

'Come on, Nobu, your team mates did something already, what about you?' Naruto egged on to the shaking boy.

'Umm… Henge!' Nobu shouted, and was engulfed with a puff of smoke.

'Ah... I already told them not to shout out their techniques...'

'Idiot! This isn't an Academy exam!' Kazuki shouted. He sighed. 'Well... I guess it couldn't be helped if his arsenal of skills is...'

Nobu reappeared as the cloud of smoke parted; he was unchanged, and still looked as nervous as ever.

'_He can't even transform properly…'_ Chikako thought, as her palm met her face, frustrated with her team mate's lack of skill.

'Show a bit more skill!' Kazuki yelled, attempting to encourage Nobu. 'You can't be that bad, Nobu!'

Naruto threw a shuriken towards the genin, who didn't even move a single inch.

Then Chikako came to a sudden realisation. _'He must be paralysed out of fear!'_

'No! Naruto-sensei!'

The shuriken went through the boy, who disappeared afterwards.

'A bunshin…' Naruto commented. 'Clever use of a basic technique...'

Kazuki sighed with relief. 'It was only a shuriken... but... I'm still glad that Nobu is indeed not that stupid to just stand still...'

'NARUTO-SENSEI! IT COULD'VE BEEN THE _REAL _ NOBU!' Chikako complained, a bit irritated by the fact that she worried over nothing.

'Ah… I'm sure _if _it was him he would've avoided it, however terrible everyone says he is… It's amazing what you can do when you're on the brink of getting hurt...' Then he stared at an oddly-placed rock, behind where Nobu's bunshin was, trying to contain his laughter.

The two genin were speechless. Just when they started to have a better opinion on their class' "dropout", he just had to prove them wrong.

'_Maybe he's got the hang of Bunshin no Jutsu__ and Henge, but he still needs to learn about placements… a rock in a previously-empty field doesn't work out!'_

Kazuki and Chikako sighed; so much for Nobu being cleverer than what everybody thought.

'Nobu… you can stop pretending to be a rock now…' Naruto said. Suddenly, an obnoxious ringing sound came out of his vest. 'Oh, time flies when you're having fun; it's already been thirty minutes!'

'_We _**are**_ pathetic…'_ the three genin thought gloomily, as Nobu transformed back to his original form.

'Wait,' Kazuki started. 'None of use got a bell, so...'

---------------------------------

'This is not fair! I'm tired, thirsty, and hungry! Argh! Untie me!' Nobu screamed.

'Tchah,' Chikako commented, 'it's your own fault you're tied to a log. You're the worst one out of us all, though. Transforming into a rock; what kind of strategy is that?'

'_You're_ talking…' Nobu muttered.

Chikako herself was tied to a log.

'That's not the point! At least _I_ showed some efforts, not just some stupid basic techniques everyone knows!'

'All you did was beat up a log!'

'Guys, arguing won't untie you from the log!' Kazuki chirped in. 'I knew you were going to be tied up, you need the talents of the Kien to be able to succeed!'

'I suppose you don't have the "talents of the Kien", then,' Chikako rebutted.

Kazuki scoffed. 'Okay, so I'm _also_ tied up to a log… But it was a fluke! A fluke, I'm telling you!' If his arms were free, Kazuki would be swinging them wildly in the air.

Nobu struggled to get the ropes around him off, and failed for the tenth time. He sighed, finally coming to the conclusion that it was simply not possible for him.

'Heh heh… you guys are amusing…' Naruto commented, and chuckled.

Chikako huffed, not liking being tied to a log _and _getting laughed at even for the tiniest bit.

'Naruto-sensei… what was the point of that? It's technically impossible to defeat a jounin with our current level of skill…'

'That is, if you do it _indivisionary._..'

Kazuki lifted an eyebrow. 'Sensei, don't you mean _individually_?'

'Ah... yes, individually. The point is, if you worked as a team, you could've taken a bell from me.'

'But there were only two bells!'

'That and the fact that the one without a bell would be tied to a log by himself were supposed to make you think that this was a challenge to each of you individually. I also wanted to see which one of you guys would be selfless enough to give up a bell.'

Then he bent down, examining the three genin closer, and was face-to-face with Chikako, being the one in the middle. 'That was necessary to see whether your teamwork will crumble or not. And it did. Do you guys suck or what?'

All three genin fell into a bottomless pit, along with their dignity.

'So I figured out that we need to work on that! Don't worry, by the time I'm finished with you, you'll stick like a sticky tape!'

Chikako figured out that her sensei wasn't so good at creating metaphors.

'Now… evaluations according to what I've seen… Kazuki!'

Kazuki straightened his body as much as he could while being strapped tightly onto a log. 'Yes?'

'Your speed and steadiness in attacking are great; you didn't waver for a single moment, even though you saw what happened to Chikako, and managed to block some of my tougher attacks. Your earth element jutsu was very impressive… good use of the terrain...'

The boy beamed proudly.

'… but it could've been better. Still, I saw plenty of ninjutsu potential in you. They were right to make you the number-one rookie.'

'Hell yeah! Take that!'

'Chikako,' Naruto turned his head and faced her. 'I believe that if you do want to master taijutsu, you have to train harder. _Much_ harder. You were the worst at dodging attacks, too; you got hit on my first shot. I suggest taking off those weights on your legs until you're ready for them. It doesn't seem like you were quick to begin with, and those things just drag you down.'

She scoffed, recollecting the memory of her terrible taijutsu as Nobu grinned.

'But you might be skilled in other things, so we'll see. You were the first one to attack, so you've got some guts. Plus, even though you can be a bit… tactless, I get this feeling that you're smarter than your two teammates.'

Chikako smirked as Kazuki and Nobu frowned, displeased.

'As for Nobu… Please think while performing techniques. You could've transformed into something else. Don't hesitate while you're about to attack to look at what your teammates are doing, just attack with whatever strategy you think would be the best.'

Nobu's face fell, but he nodded, accepting his sensei's criticism.

'Even though you've been referred to as the dropout, don't give up! You've got the hang of basic techniques, and with a bit of work, you'll be able to master more! Despite the fact that you didn't perform it well, it was indeed a clever use of basic techniques. Work on your creativity.'

Nobu grinned.

'Anyway, the point is, however terrible you guys did at the test, I'm not going to give up on you! Let's just think of building up teamwork as a long-term, exciting mission!'

'Uhh…' Chikako muttered, doubtful.

'Well, I think you have a bit more than thirty minutes left on the log, but I've got something to attend to for a moment, so when I return, I'm going to untie you guys, okay?'

'Okay, Naruto-sensei,' they all said in unison.

After their sensei was out of sight, Nobu turned towards both of his team mates.

'Oi, Chikako,' he called out.

'What is it?' she replied.

'Can you get Kazuki to listen? Our logs are on opposite sides.'

Chikako sighed. 'Hey, Kazuki, listen up.'

'Yeah, I'm listening…'

'Let's do it!' Nobu said.

'Ohh! Do what? Do what?' Kazuki asked.

'Escape! Let's untie ourselves off the logs, and take a break! Then before Naruto-sensei gets back, we can tie ourselves back on the log!'

'That's stupid,' Chikako replied. 'The last person can't tie _him_self back onto the log!'

'I don't know… I think we shouldn't underestimate Naruto-sensei…' Kazuki said. 'But okay!' he agreed, with a beaming face. 'That's so cool, we've only known Naruto-sensei for an afternoon, but we're rebelling against him already!'

'Let's start, then!' Nobu said excitedly.

'Let's not! We can't squeeze out of the log, and if we cut the ropes, Naruto-sensei will notice!' Chikako complained. 'We only have about thirty minutes to go, okay?'

'Then we'll buy new ropes that look just like these ones!' Nobu reasoned. 'They sell them everywhere.'

'Yeah! Yeah!' Kazuki agreed.

'Don't tell me you're content with being tied to a log!' Nobu continued.

'I would never back away from a responsibility.'

'Come on, Chika-chan…' Kazuki said, trying to convince her, but received a glare instead.

'Hmm... Would _you_ call getting tied to a log a responsibility?' Nobu questioned.

'No,' Kazuki said reasonably. 'I would not, Nobu.'

'Yes!' Chikako spat. 'If it was because of my own weaknesses, then YES!'

'You're just scared because you know you actually have no potential,' Nobu teased. 'No creativity.'

'Says the dropout…'

'I'm might be a dropout, but I have potential!'

'That's what Naruto-sensei _wants_ you to think. The limit to your creativity is merely suggesting the idea of escaping, without coming up with an actual plan.'

'What-!'

'Who would do a Henge and turn into a rock in a barren field?'

'Loads of shinobi would!'

'No, they won't,' Chikako said.

'Y'know, I have to agree with her on this,' Kazuki said truthfully.

'Kazuki!' Nobu whined, expecting the other boy to take his side.

'Oh look, the Kien boy decided to swap sides.'

'I am not a boy! From the moment I put on this hitai-ate, I am a _man_. A _ninja_ man.'

Chikako was unable to hold in her laughter. 'Bahaha!'

'What-! What's so funny?' Kazuki demanded, flustered.

'If you were really a man, you wouldn't have to say such a thing.'

'Well, I-'

'Guys, guys, let's just plan our escape now!' Nobu pleaded. 'We won't even have to be free for very long if you're worried about Naruto-sensei catching us…'

Kazuki looked at Chikako with a hopeful look.

Unable to resist a chance to set herself free from the ropes, Chikako sighed, before agreeing. 'Fine, I'm in too. But as long as you take responsibility for it…'

Nobu stared at her, expecting more demands from Chikako before the deal was settled.

'… and I'm not going to be the last one getting tied up.'

'Deal. And now… time to cut off the ropes… That should be easy... all of us have weapons on hand.' Nobu tried to reach his weapons holster. 'Ugh… can't reach… Naruto-sensei tied us on too tight…'

Then Nobu tried to break free by pushing himself off the log with his feet, and failed.

'Kunai! We need a kunai! Or anything sharp and pointy!' Nobu wailed. 'POINTY!'

'Why don't you try to get one of yours, Chika-chan? You're bound to succeed!'

Chikako bent down (as far as she could with the tightness of the rope) and grasped the shuriken in front of her with her teeth. 'Got it,' she attempted to mutter, but even if she managed to say it in a comprehensible way, Kazuki's shout was much louder.

'Ooh! Pass it here! Pass it here!'

Chikako spat it out of her mouth, and aimed it straight for Kazuki's forehead.

'No! Stop it! Don't pass it here!'

Kazuki ducked down just in time for it to only cut a few strands of his light brown hair, before it managed to stick itself into the log, showing how much pressure Chikako put into passing it.

'My hair!' he moaned. 'You got my hair cut!'

'You told me to pass it.'

'Next time, pass it with your _hands_, please. And preferably not at my forehead.'

'What do you think the hitai-ate is for? Fashion? If you didn't move, you, and your precious hair would've been unscathed.'

'But if it fell down I wouldn't be able to grab it,' Kazuki argued. 'Besides, it's still very, _very_ dangerous. And you're talking- you wear your hitai-ate backwards. Now _that's_ not going to protect your forehead.'

'Whatever. It protects the other side. And hurry up! You're losing more of our time!'

Kazuki twisted himself into an uncomfortable position and pulled the shuriken out of the log, and with his teeth. Then he dropped it onto his palm, and started cutting.

'You know, that's like, indirect kissing, you know,' Nobu commented.

'Nu-uh, I bit it on the other side,' Kazuki said matter-of-factly. 'A Kien _always_ knows what he's doing.'

'I would laugh right now at your immaturity, but considering that this is not the time for that situation, I will simply tell you to hurry up and when you're done, untie us, so we only have to replace one rope.'

'What a horribly long way to say just that. But still, it's a good idea!' Nobu commented.

'_Of course you didn't, you idiot.'_

Finally, Kazuki finished cutting through the ropes, and was free from the log. He stretched out his arms, finally feeling freedom once more.

'Ohh, that feels great. Okay, I'll just untie you guys, so-'

Before Kazuki even touched the knot of Nobu's rope, he was cut off.

'Is my little genin team trying to escape?'

Kazuki turned around, and came face-to-face with his sensei. He laughed nervously, as his arms fell limp to his sides. 'Heh… Naruto-sensei… this isn't what it looks like…'


	3. Kiba and Tenten

'Ha ha ha!' Naruto laughed.

'Eh heh heh… ha ha ha…' the genin laughed back. Nervously.

'HA HA HA!'

'HAHAHAHAHA!'

'What were you three doing?' Naruto asked sharply.

All three stayed silent, unsure of what to say to him, until Kazuki decided to speak out.

'Umm… it was a display of teamwork…?' he lamely explained.

'Oh really?'

'Uh… I think Chikako and Nobu would like to answer that…' Kazuki said quickly.

Chikako sighed yet again. 'No, we just wanted to take a break from these logs…'

'WITH TEAMWORK!' Nobu defended.

Naruto laughed again. 'If I look back to when I was as old as you, I would be cheering you on, with that sort of attitude…'

The three genin looked up hopefully.

'… But this is not the time to feel nostalgic. Although I find it quite impressive that you managed to get one of you free from the ropes, I _am _supposed to try to encourage responsible behaviours, so you get an extra hour on… _the log_.'

Nobu gasped with horror.

'I told you so,' Chikako muttered. 'I told you we should've just waited for thirty minutes. I'm starting to get used to these ropes.'

Kazuki said nothing. Before he hyperventilated, that is.

'Oh, I can't believe this... It's too much...'

Naruto patted him on the back. 'I'm sorry... but anyway, you've only got thirty seconds to enjoy your freedom before I tie you back onto the log.'

------------------------

After that extra hour of torture on the log, Chikako, Kazuki and Nobu were finally free from the evil clutches of the ropes (each of them still rubbing their arms; the ropes were indeed tied up very tightly).

'Okay… now we get to go to the best place in Konoha! Ever!' Naruto exclaimed as they stopped at a fork on the road.

'Take a guess at what it is!' Naruto said, and faced them.

'Sushi restaurant?' Chikako suggested.

'The Konoha Park?' Nobu asked.

'Umm… Kien Clan Residence?' Kazuki guessed hopefully.

'Wrong! Wrong! Completely wrong!'

'Can we have a hint?' Chikako asked, determined to get the correct answer.

'Ooh! We could play it like Hangman! So we guess a letter, and you'd tell us if that letter is there… Does it have "ra"?'

'Yes, it does have- No! No! We're not gonna play Hangman! Just… follow me! There will be a special person waiting for us there.'

--------------------

_ICHIRAKU'S RAMEN_

'_I should've known…' _Chikako thought, as the four of them stood in front of the small stand.

'Oh boy, ramen!' Nobu cheered. 'I love ramen!' he added, remembering his own sensei's love for it.

'Ichiraku sells the best ramen in all of Konoha! And maybe even all of Fire Country!' Naruto bragged, as if the place was his own. 'Good service, good price, good ramen, what more could you ask for?

Chikako cleared her throat, and tugged on Naruto's sleeve. 'Naruto-sensei... I don't think I should-'

'Don't worry Chikako, it's my treat!'

'But I really-'

'What'd you like to order, Kazuki?' Naruto questioned, ignoring the kunoichi of his team.

'Well, anything is fine, really, but-'

'NARUTO-SENSEI! I think I should be getting home now!'

'Don't worry; I'll be responsible if you get told off by your parents!'

'But I want to tr-'

Naruto was unwilling to hear any more of the girl's excuses, and signalled for the three to enter the restaurant before him. 'Don't say it! We're going to take a break for now…'

-----------------

'Naruto! Over here!' a pink-haired medic-nin shouted. 'You took too long, so we pre-ordered yours.'

'Is it miso roasted pork fillet large serving?' Naruto asked, as he took a seat next to her. 'Guys, come and sit here.'

Sakura rolled her eyes. 'Yes, it's miso roasted pork fillet large serving… Oh, who's this?'

'Heh heh… this is my genin team… Sakura… meet Kazuki, Nobu and Chika.'

'It's Chika_ko_.'

'Yes, yes… Anyway, I was late because I gave them a test, and it took longer than expected.'

'They look pretty worn out, Naruto… There are some bruises on them, too; Chikako's is the worst... Do you want me to heal them?'

'Nah… it's nothing that a little ramen can't fix!'

'Hey, Naruto, whatdidja bring your genin team for? This is meant to be jounin's night!' Kiba joined in; he had been sitting next to Sakura.

'I met Kiba on the way, so I invited him along,' Sakura explained for his presence. 'I invited Tenten-san, too. She had some errands to run, so she said she'll come late.' Naruto nodded, before turning towards his genin team.

'Everyone, this is Inuzuka Kiba,' Naruto introduced. 'I defeated him in the Chuunin Exam preliminary match. Oh, where's Akamaru?'

'That doesn't mean you're stronger than me,' Kiba pointed out. 'It was a fluke, goddamnit! And Akamaru is getting a check-up from my sister. Plus, it's not like he fits inside a jacket anymore…' Then he glanced at the three genin.

'Oh... so Naruto's your sensei, isn't he?' Kiba asked, and after he received their nods, he laughed. 'If he starts teaching you stupid techniques like farting in your opponent's face, tell me. I'll make sure Akamaru, my dog, chases him down.'

'Hey! I'm trying to make a good impression on my team.'

'What a tiring day!' Tenten piped up, as she entered the stand. 'Oh my, it's a little bit crowded here!'

'These are the genin that I'll be teaching,' Naruto said proudly.

Then a realisation dawned upon Kazuki. 'Oh! I know! You're Tenten-sensei, the one who's teaching Masuyo, aren't you?'

Tenten winked. 'Right you are. I know you, too, Kazuki-kun, you're the number-one rookie this year, aren't you? Well done!' Then she shook Kazuki's hand to further congratulate him.

Kazuki flustered, with a big grin plastered on his face. 'Aww... it's nothing! Oh! You must've tested Masuyo today, too! Did he get tied onto a log?'

Tenten lifted an eyebrow. 'The only thing we did with a log was chop it up, I'm afraid.'

Naruto laughed, and joined in the conversation. 'Sorry, Kazuki, but the tests differ between different jounin teachers.'

'Though I am_ thoroughly_ impressed with this Masuyo. Given time, his arsenal of weapons would rival mine! I feel such a connection with him already.'

'Now, don't start picking favourites, Tenten-san,' Sakura teased. 'Ah, Naruto, your order has arrived.'

'Oh yeah, you guys should order something! Everything's great here, so don't be afraid to. Just tell the old man that it's my treat,' Naruto offered, before he started on his own ramen with lightning speed.

'But the poor girl, Hana tripped over three times today! She can be a bit clumsy sometimes.'

'Hey, should you really go on about your team? You know, _that_ is going to be held in Konoha in only a few months!'

'Oh, come on, it's not like this kind of thing is a secret anyway. Well, as I was saying, the girl, Hana...'

--------------------

'… then guess what Hiroshi said? He said that he wanted to be just like Neji!'

Naruto choked on his ramen (it was his fourth bowl). 'Neji, out of all people?'

'Well, you have to admit, Neji _is_ pretty admirable, being a prodigy and all…' Sakura said reasonably. 'The last time I went on a mission with him, things went so smoothly I didn't even have to heal anyone.'

'But he's so… ugh…' Naruto said, and Kiba nodded. 'And, I mean, _I_ defeated him.'

'You've said that for the, like, two-hundredth time already?' Tenten said, annoyed. 'Give him a break. He _was_ my teammate, you know.'

'But I defeated him!'

'Anyway, Tenten-san,' Sakura started loudly, trying to switch the topic. 'You seem to like your team very much. Are you going to let them pass?'

'Well, I'd like to, but I want to see whether the others want to pass their own teams first, or else most of the teams would pass.'

'Wait,' Chikako butted in. 'I'm sorry, but does this mean that we're not officially genin yet?'

Tenten nodded. 'Out of all the people in your year, only a select few would actually become genin. Most would have to go back to the academy and wait until they get their chance again next year.'

Nobu spit out his food. He was already older than the other kids because he entered the academy late; he didn't want to be left behind even more.

'I'd appreciate it if we start talking about other things, guys,' Sakura said. 'You're just making these three children feel uncomfortable…'

'You see, Naruto- next time, bring your genin along when you discussed it with us first,' Kiba spoke.

'Hey, I didn't even know that you're going to come. I only expected to meet Sakura-chan.'

'Naruto-sensei… can I please go home now? It's getting dark…'

'Ha ha ha! She just called you "sensei"!' Kiba mocked. 'Naruto-sensei… never thought I'd hear that until the next century!'

'Kiba-sensei, I would appreciate it if you-'

'HA HA HA! She just called _you_ "sensei"! I never thought I'd hear that until the next _millennium_!'

Kiba stopped laughing. 'Whatever, moron.'

'Naruto, quit it, you're not being very responsible…' Sakura said, being the only voice of reason in there, as Tenten was busy having a nice chat with Kazuki.

'Sorry, Sakura-chan… Hey, Chikako, you barely touched your ramen!'

'I don't feel like it…'

'I'll finish it for her!' Nobu shouted.

'Do whatever you want, Nobu, I'm going home…'

'Oh, right! I better get back too, before Mum gets pissed off at me again. Bye, Tenten-sensei, Naruto-sensei, Kiba-sensei, and Sakura-san.' Kazuki followed Chikako out of the ramen stand.

After a while, Nobu too finished with his ramen, and said goodbye to the jounin, who were finally free to discuss whatever they wanted.

'So…' Sakura started.

'What?' Naruto asked.

'Your genin team was…'

'Noisy? Disagreeable? Strange?' Kiba suggested.

'I was going to say interesting, Kiba… and they're okay, anyway. How are they? Are they skilled?'

'Are you going to let _them_ pass?' Tenten asked curiously.

'I think they have plenty of potential; Nobu is a bit sloppy, but his skills aren't so bad. He's not as reckless as me either,' Naruto answered. 'Hm, cowardly even. But nothing a little Naruto-influence wouldn't fix.' Then he beamed. 'Besides, they're interesting. They tried to escape from the logs I tied them to. Definitely passing them.'

'Hey, Naruto; bet you won't have the guts to enter them into the Chuunin exam …'

'You're talking; I haven't seen _your_ team enter. Besides, they might not look like it, but I believe they have potential.'

'I'm letting my team gain a bit more experience, but I assure you, they're entering this time. Oh… and you have that Nobu kid, don't you? He's just like you, y'know… a dropout…'

'Doesn't stop a dropout from beating you… and I have the number one rookie, Kazuki…'

Kiba narrowed his eyes. 'Well, I have last year's number one rookie… Mind you, he seems more focused on training than that Kazuki.'

'Well, his doton (earth element) jutsus are very promising for a genin…'

'Guys, quit arguing already! We're here to have a get-together, not a fight!'

'You're right, Sakura. So… how was that A-rank mission you did?' Kiba diverted the conversation, knowing very well that Sakura enjoyed discussing about her latest missions.

'It went pretty well, and it was a nice break from all these hospital shifts I've been getting. Kotetsu-san was hurt pretty badly, though… I had to use most of my chakra to heal his broken leg…'

'Oh. Really?'

'Yeah…'

Then Sakura went on a long explanation about replacing the calcium in the bone by concentrating chakra on it, and the three other jounin, who didn't quite understand, simply nodded.

'… so in theory, it would've been almost impossible, but I figured, if we concentrate the chakra right on the part where the femur…'

'Okay, we get it, Sakura, you have awesome medical skills,' Kiba interrupted, breaking off Sakura's explanation before it managed to get too detailed.

Sakura huffed. 'Fine, if you don't appreciate a bit of fine medical explanation…'

'How about you, Naruto? How was that mission you went on?' Tenten asked, after she wiped her mouth, her ramen bowl empty.

Naruto sighed. 'Tsunade-baachan gave me an A-rank, too. I was teamed up with Shikamaru, and your sister, remember?'

Kiba laughed. 'Oh, yeah.'

'Her dogs were… well… how do I put it… umm… intimidating?'

'Did she do well?'

'Did she? She was excellent! But her dogs got pretty badly injured…'

'And _that_ is the power of the Inuzuka clan…' Kiba announced proudly. 'All of them have fully recovered, anyway. My sister's great with animals.'

'I did a lot in the mission, too! Without me, our client would've been dead by now!'

'Isn't there a single conversation between you guys that doesn't involve a battle of egos?' Tenten complained. 'I'm going home.'

'Ah, wait! I'm going home too!'

'Aww…' Naruto whined. 'Sakura-chan!'


	4. Missions Galore

_Yayness... update!_

_I was gonna skip from their first ever mission to the Chuunin Exam, but where's the fun in that?_

_(Beware my crappy Japanese in the soon-to-arrive Chuunin Exam!)_

_A character from way, way back in Naruto will be making an appearance! (throws confettis) Hopefully I didn't make him OOC, but people change a lot after about a decade._

_So... yeah._

_And thank you for the reviews! I'm sorry if I didn't reply, the reason being I don't have anything really intelligent to say._

_And thanks for pairings recommendations! We need more of that! (Asa sidenote, NaruHina, SasuSaku and NejiTen will be left as a last resort, if I couldn't think of anything at all. But I doubt it. Really, really doubt it.)_

_I'll try to put in more descriptions about their appearances. So far all you really know is that Kazuki has light brown hair, wears his hitai-ate properly, and Chikako wears hers backwards._

_But for the basics: Chikako's hair colour is black, and it's long. Her eyes are green. Kazuki's hair is light brown, and cut short. His eyes are... er, hazel. Nobu is still undecided (how can one create a character without thinking about their appearance?)_

_I thought about uploading pictures I drew of how Chikako and Kazuki basically looks like, but I went against it._

_Well, enjoy, and the purply button lurves ya. :D_

_(Disclaimer on the first page. I almost forgot to put this)_

* * *

'Oh, hello!'

'Umm… hello, Sakura-san…'

'Aren't you from Naruto's genin team?'

'Yes, I'm Kotone Chikako.'

Sakura beamed. 'I'm so sorry we couldn't have talked more at Ichiraku's.Wait! Is your brother's name Daichi? I went on a mission with him a few weeks ago!'

'Yes, that's my brother…'

'You two looked similar because of your green eyes and both of you have black hair…' Sakura added. 'Hey, he said a lot of things about you!'

Chikako looked up. 'Really?'

'Yeah, but you're completely different from what he makes you out to be,' Sakura said. 'He described you as if you're some sort of spoiled, untalented brat, but you don't look like it…'

'Probably he was describing himself,' Chikako huffed.

Sakura smiled. 'You shouldn't say such a thing about your brother, Chikako.'

'Just try being related to _him_… Anyway, I have to go now, or else I'll be late. It was nice talking to you Sakura-san, and good-bye.'

'Bye, Chikako!'

* * *

Kazuki was the only one present.

'Hey, Chika-chan!'

'It's not even worth the effort to glare at you, is it?'

'Come on, we're a team! We should be like, doing team bonding and stuff.'

'Why don't you start yelling out "Nobu-kun" then?'

'People will think I want him or something!'

'…'

'Can you quit looking at me like that?'

'No.'

'Fine, I'll call you Chikako for today. Happy?'

'Ecstatic.'

'You don't look like it.'

'I will once I do your head in.'

'Hey guys! Why are you two so early?' Naruto arrived out of nowhere.

'Naruto-sensei, you should arrive at least a few minutes before the intended time!' Chikako said.

'For once, I agree with her, because a Kien is _always_ on-'

'It's not all about your clan, moron.'

'AM I LATE? AM I LATE?' someone shouted.

'Oh, it's Nobu!' Naruto pointed.

Nobu panted. 'Am I late?' he asked once more.

Kazuki checked his watch. 'Nah, you're twenty seconds before the intended meeting time.'

'Wait, actually, nineteen. Umm… eighteen… seventeen… uh… Don't worry…'

Nobu sighed with relief, before taking a seat on a rock.

'So… Are you ready for your first mission, guys?'

'Damn right! What are we going to do?' Nobu asked excitedly. 'Battle an evil, strong _nukenin_ (missing-nin)? Escort a daimyo? Ooh, carry secret scrolls to the Wind Country?'

Naruto laughed. 'No, no, and… no. That kind of missions are for chuunins, and jounins, like me!'

'So what _are_ we going to do?' Kazuki questioned.

'It'll be exciting! Don't worry!'

* * *

'Plant all these seeds, please,' the brown-haired man instructed. 'And tell me when you're finished. I'll be in that shack.'

Kazuki and Nobu's silly-looking grins turned upside down.

'Naruto-sensei! This isn't exciting at all!' Kazuki whined.

'Quit whining, Kazuki- you gotta start small…' Naruto said.

'Yeah, now catch.' Chikako threw a shovel at him.

Kazuki caught it just in time. 'What is it with you and throwing hazardous things at me? Well… at least it wasn't a shuriken…'

Then the kunoichi chucked another one at her other team mate.

'Oi, Nobu, catch!'

'Wh-'

Before he finished, the shovel hit him on the head.

'…' Nobu was silent.

'…' The others watched.

'… Ouch…'

'…'

'WHAT KIND OF REFLEX IS THAT?' Chikako yelled out. 'I mean, what kind of shinobi are you gonna be if it takes you five seconds to feel pain?'

'Chikako, just because Nobu is a bit… _slow_… doesn't mean he won't make a good ninja. I, for once, was called a dropout for, however many years, but look at me now!'

'…'

'Well?' Naruto demanded.

'Umm… you're a jounin?' Chikako guessed.

'Exactly! Now let's get started on… digging!'

'Yay,' Kazuki commented with a bored tone; not feeling very excited at all.

Nobu began to dig energetically.

'See that? You gotta have that sort of spirit in you, guys!' Naruto egged on.

Chikako yawned.

Kazuki looked at his right, not listening to Naruto at all.

'Come on! I thought the _Kien_ clan would be better than this…'

Kazuki paid attention, and fire lit in his eyes.

'Yosh! The Kien clan will be able to handle anything!'

He dug up the holes faster than Nobu.

'… and this is good _taijutsu_ practice…'

Chikako's eyes beamed, similar to how Kazuki's did.

Then she walked towards the field.

Naruto eyed her legs (not in that way).

'Chikako…'

'Yeah?'

'… Didn't I tell you to take off those weights?'

'…'

'Well?'

'I… can't…'

'And why can't you?'

'It would be dishonouring my clan…'

'I see… So those harp (A/N: Kotone means "harp sound") pictures on your weights are the Kotone crests, I suppose?

'… Yeah…'

'…'

'Naruto-sensei… Do I still have to take them off?'

'Your choice…'

And she did.

* * *

'Doesn't it feel good when you finish?' Kazuki said, taking off his hitai-ate, and wiping off beads of sweat from his forehead.

'Yeah…' Nobu added, and then he lied down on the grass.

'I'm _so_ tired…' Chikako continued, then sighed.

'See, doesn't it make you proud to finish your first mission?' Naruto said.

'I guess,' Kazuki replied.

'Yeah,' Nobu answered.

'More like exhausted…'

'Don't be so negative… How about I take you all to Ichira-'

'NO!'

'…'

'Umm… I mean- No, thank you… Naruto-sensei…?' Chikako added.

'Why not? It's gonna be so much fun!'

'Thanks, but… no thanks…'

'Fine… how about, as a reward, I'll teach all of you a new, _forbidden_, jutsu tomorrow?'

'Yes!'

'YEAH!'

'Naruto-sensei! We're still genin-level, and it might be potentially dangerous to teach us _kinjutsu _at this stage!'

'Just because it's forbidden doesn't mean-' Kazuki started, before he got cut off.

'It's forbidden _because_ it's dangerous, baka!' Chikako scolded, and grabbed Kazuki's collar.

'Actually, it's not going to cause much damage to other people, except in fights of course…' Naruto started.

'See, I told you, it's harmless,' Kazuki chirped.

'… It's only going to cause you some damage if not done carefully.'

Chikako loosened her grip, and her mouth hung down like a goldfish.

'That's even worse!'

'It's going to be completely safe if done carefully.'

'But… I don't trust Nobu.'

'Hey!' Nobu complained.

'Chikako, have some faith in your team mates…' Naruto said.

'I have enough faith in Kazuki, just not in Nobu.'

'Hell yeah!' Kazuki cheered.

'Chikako… you shouldn't be picking favourites…'

'I'm not saying that Kazuki is tolerable… I'm just saying that Nobu is less tolerable.'

'Hello, I'm right here…' Nobu commented.

'Hey! I _am_ tolerable!'

'_Will this team ever work together?'_ Naruto thought, and sighed.

* * *

'Alright, are you guys ready?'

'Yeah, duh… We've been sitting here for ages waiting for…' Chikako narrowed her eyes at her team mate.

'What? I had things to do!' Nobu defended.

'This isn't the time to be arguing… now… learn the hand seals. Watch what I'm doing…'

* * *

_Weeks after:_

'This is boring!'

'Quit your whining, Nobu,' Chikako scolded. 'We're only at genin-level right now.'

'I don't like pulling out weeds! I don't want to fix water drains! I mean, what are our ninja skills for? Definitely not for jobs a _plumber_ can do!'

Chikako hit him on the head. 'Be patient. I'm sure we'll get good missions eventually.'

'Ah… guys, quit arguing… I'll see if we can get exciting, putting-your-life-on-the-line missions!'

'But I don't mind easy ones… I mean, come on, easy money…' Chikako said.

'Excitement and honour comes before money, Chika-chan!' Kazuki rebutted dramatically.

'Well… apart from the experience we gain, I don't really like dangerous missions.'

'But don't you want to go against the bad guys? We can knock 'em out with our fifteen-hit combo!' Kazuki kicked his legs around.

'Quit fooling around!'

While his team was bickering, Naruto already had a head start.

'Umm… Tsunade-baa- I mean, Godaime-sama, my genin team is… umm… itching for some action…? So… can we _please_ get a mission outside the village?'

'Well… I don't know…'

'Pleeeeease?'

'Fine… but they're your responsibility…'

'Of course they are,' Naruto replied, as he scanned through the mission outline. 'Oh, it's only to find out who's been damaging some bridge.'

'It's only going to be a C-rank, but it doesn't hurt to be careful.'

'I know from personal experience…' Then Naruto grinned. 'But at least I got a bridge named after me… Hey, speaking of bridges, which one will we be going to?'

'Well… _now _it makes sense… Well, just read the mission details more carefully. You'll find that it's a nice surprise…'

He read the piece of paper once more. Naruto's eyes widened, before grinning again. 'Oh… I see…'

* * *

'And _this_ is the Great Naruto Bridge!'

Kazuki clapped in the background.

'Are you sure this bridge is actually named after you, Naruto-sensei? I mean, there's gotta be more than one Naruto…'

'Of course I'm sure! I was here when they built it!'

'Oh _really_?'

'Come on, Chikako… don't you trust your teacher?'

'… It depends on the occasion, really…'

'Well, I'm telling the truth!'

'Ah… Naruto-san?'

A young adult approached them.

'Umm…'

'It's me, Inari, remember?'

'WHAT?' Naruto exclaimed, then grinned. 'Hey, I didn't recognise you at all! It's been… nine years? Ten, maybe?'

'Naruto-sensei… do you know him?' Nobu asked.

'_Do I?_'

'Well… have you read the mission details yet?' Inari asked.

'Yeah… But all it said was that we needed to find who's been-'

'Damaging the bridge… yeah… The bridge was untouched for the previous, I don't know, decade, or so… but lately…'

He cleared his throat. 'A part of the bridge is damaged, and we found exploding tags at the scene… so we suspected that shinobis took part in this…'

'Shinobis?'

'At first we thought it was some sort of joke, but it's been done multiple times by now…'

'How many times, exactly?' Kazuki asked, interested.

'Eleven.'

'Oh…'

'Shinobis leave us alone for most times… We've never threatened their existence, and the closest relationship we have is our import and export with some shinobi villages. So… there must be some sort of motive behind this… but since we don't even know who's doing this, we don't know what they want from us. And that's your job.'

'Eheh… don't worry, Inari, we'll find whoever's doing this to the bridge! Then we'll capture him!'

'Or her,' Chikako added.

'Can you lead us to where the damaged parts are?'

'Well, it's on different places all the time… but I'll show you the first one to start with…'

* * *

'Found any clues, guys?'

'Nothing yet,' Chikako replied.

'Nope,' Nobu answered.

'Wait… yeah… Oh, it's just rubble… no.'

'Inari-san, do you have some sort of… blueprint of the bridge's design? Can you mark where the bridges are damaged on it?'

'Well… I don't, but I can draw the bridge's basic design for you… Will that be okay?'

'Yeah, actually.'

'This one was here… and the other ones…'

Inari began to make marks on his drawings.

'Ah, here it is!'

'Are you looking for a pattern, Chika-chan?'

'Oh, how did you guess?' Chikako replied sarcastically.

Nobu looked and it, and frowned. 'It seems random to me. No pattern whatsoever…'

'Can I take a look?' Kazuki asked.

'Hey, I was the one who asked for it, I wanna look, too. How about you, Naruto-sensei?'

'I'll just look for some more clues. You guys go ahead.'

'Can you see a pattern, Kazuki?'

'…'

'Well?'

'… Yeah… I can… but I can't remember what it is… I've seen it somewhere… You know how it forms a squiggly line? Well… it's supposed to form something, but I can't remember what…'

Chikako narrowed her eyes, and scanned through the picture. 'Same… I can't remember what it is… I've seen it somewhere…'

'Maybe it's not complete,' Nobu reasoned. 'Maybe we need to have more explosions to complete the squiggly line thingy…'

'We're supposed to prevent more explosions, but that's a good point,' Chikako said. 'Well done, Nobu, you finally contributed something.'

'Hey! I contributed lots!'

'Sure, Nobu, I believe-'

BAM!

The noise was heard from the other side of the bridge.

'_Another explosion?'_


	5. Senbon Needles

_And the next installment is up... Thank you for reading..._

_If any of the characters seem Mary-Sue-ish or anything like that, please inform me._

* * *

'Hurry up! Hurry up!' Kazuki egged on, as they sped towards the explosion.

'Kazuki… Nobu… slow down,' Naruto instructed.

'What if the perpetrator's escaped already?' Nobu argued.

'Idiot, we have to slow down for Inari-san. Not all people are shinobis…' Chikako told off.

'Oh… yeah… Sorry, Inari-san…'

'Heh… no problem, really…'

As they finally arrived at the scene, Chikako took out Inari's rolled-up drawing of the bridge from her weapons holster.

'Can you mark where this explosion took place?'

As Chikako looked at the twelfth circle on the drawing, Naruto looked through the rubble.

'Aha! A burnt exploding tag!' he yelled, then sniffed it.

'Naruto-sensei… _What_ are you doing?' Nobu asked.

As Naruto sniffed the burnt piece of paper, his eyes widened.

'What is it, sensei?'

'This… this isn't any ordinary exploding tag…'

'W-what?' Chikako questioned. 'What's so different about it?'

'It smells different from normal ones… the smell is more… I can't find the right word… but it's not the usual, ash sort-of smell…'

'Ah! I see!' Kazuki exclaimed, then pointed at the burnt edge. 'It's more of a zigzag rather than how these tags usually burn…'

'Very observant, Kazuki!' his sensei praised.

'What can I say? I'm a Kien.'

'Can someone please insult him before his head becomes more inflated than necessary?'

'Are the explosions making a pattern yet?'

'No… it's still familiar… but I think Nobu's right… it _is_ incomplete…'

'Who's the man? Hagane Nobu is!'

'Why do I have to be stuck with boys with more egos than sanity?'

'Why do you have to be so mean, Chika-chan?'

'_Why_ do you have to call me that, Kazuki?'

Chikako sighed. 'It's so familiar… but I can't remember where I saw it…'

'How come I'm the only one _not_ spotting anything here?' Nobu complained. He searched through the ruins to look for more clues beside the strange exploding tag.

'I think Father showed it to me… it was on some scroll… but I forgot what it was…'

'This is a serious matter,' Inari worried. 'The bridge is the only way we can trade with nearby countries… If it was damaged…'

'… Then Wave Country would eventually be in poverty…' Chikako finished.

'… Again,' Naruto completed. 'Just like before it had the bridge…'

'Hey, doesn't that mean the motive would probably be to stop Wave Country from prospering?'

'Probably, Kazuki, but we'll never know,' Naruto said.

'Oh my god, he's actually making sense.'

'Chika-chan!'

'Chikako…'

'Sorry, Naruto-sensei…'

Chikako put her hand on her hips. 'We're not getting anywhere, are we?'

'We found clues!' Kazuki defended. 'And don't be so pessimistic!'

'Inari-san, what are the length, width, and any other measurements of the bridge? And approximately how many exploding tags are used in each explosion?'

'Well… I think at least four tags are used for each explosion… and I'm not so sure about the bridge's measurement. You're gonna have to ask the one who built it…'

* * *

'You've grown a lot since I was your client years ago, haven't you, Naruto?' Then Tazuna laughed. 'You even have your own team!'

Naruto scratched the back of his neck. 'Heh… I guess so…'

'Naruto-sensei…' Chikako muttered darkly.

'Ah… yes. We need to ask you about the bridge.'

The smile slipped off Tazuna's face, then he brought his hand to his chin thoughtfully. 'Were you the ones assigned to this mission?'

Nobu gulped, and nodded.

'Well, what do you need from me?'

'We would like to know the bridge's measurements,' Chikako told.

Tazuna pointed at a table with papers scattered all over it. 'You can find _anything_ you need to know about the bridge there.'

'Thank you, Tazuna-san.'

'By the way, where's Tsunami?' Naruto asked cheerfully.

Both Inari and Tazuna paused, before averting their gazes from Naruto, then returning them again.

'She's…' Inari started. 'She's… she's…'

'She's missing,' Tazuna completed, 'the purpose being as unfathomable as why shinobis are destroying the bridge.'

Inari was relieved to be taken off the burden of telling Naruto, yet worried of what he'd think.

'Since when?' Naruto asked, straight to the point.

'A few days after the explosions started,' Tazuna answered.

'Maybe the two incidents are linked together, Tazuna-san…?' Kazuki suggested.

Tazuna sighed. 'That's what we thought at first, but I can't see how it'll work.'

'She's related to you, am I correct?' Chikako interrogated. 'And you're the one who decided to build the bridge. The _bridge_. I'm sure the two incidents could be connected. Now, do you have any suspicions on who could've done this? Maybe someone who has a personal grudge against you… or the prosperity of the Wave Country?'

Kazuki snickered. 'You sounded like you're cross-examining an enemy-nin.'

It earned him a punch on the head.

'_Even I'm not **that** stupid…'_ Nobu thought.

'Do you have in mind any countries that might be jealous of your country's wealth?'

'Well, uh… maybe nearby shinobi countries… like, the Lake Country, or… or… the Water Country… I don't know! Maybe far-away ones, too, but I doubt it.'

'There's always a possibility.'

'_Now_ she's acting positive,' Nobu snickered.

In order not to embarrass the team in front of their clients after that punch, Chikako simply gritted her teeth, before saying, 'Shinobi Rule No. 23: A shinobi must find a possibility in cases that seems impossible.'

'You're making it up, aren't you? I've never heard of that one!' Nobu accused, and pointed at her.

'Well, maybe if you read the rulebook, you would!'

Tazuna gave a bark of laughter. 'What's your name?'

'Umm… it's Kotone Chikako, Tazuna-san.'

'You know, a very long time ago, there was a girl who stated a shinobi rule, similar to what you did before,' Tazuna explained. 'Well, in _her_ case, she was crying over the body of her team mate she thought was dying.'

She didn't know whether Tazuna was telling this to her to make her feel guilty, but if he did, it worked. Even though it was probably only a story.

'Well, I guess you're not that bad, Nobu.'

'Not _that_ bad? What's that supposed to mean?'

'That's the closest you're gonna get to a compliment.'

'What about me, Chika-chan?' Kazuki asked with interest, pointing at himself.

'…' Chikako decided not to answer, and returned to interrogating poor Tazuna again.

'I'm great, aren't I?' If Chikako wasn't busy thinking up forceful questions, she would've told him something along the line of: _No, but your ego is_.

'Any suspicious moves conducted by villagers lately? Do you think they might be involved with the perpetrator?'

'She should go join Morino Ibiki in the torture squad…' Naruto joked to no one in particular.

'Morino Ibiki?' Nobu questioned.

'Just one of our fellow shinobis,' Naruto coolly answered.

'**Torture** squad?' Kazuki lifted an eyebrow.

'Uhh… I'll explain that at some point. It's nothing brutal, really.'

The name indicates otherwise, Kazuki thought.

'… Tazuna-san, after the bridge's construction, have you even been drunk before? And who were the people around you if you have?'

Tazuna gave her a strange look. 'Is that relevant?'

'Eh… Chikako… You should stop asking questions right now… Just… Just read up the details on the bridge, okay?' Naruto pointed at the table.

'Uh… yeah… Sorry if I was disturbing you, Tazuna-san… I'm just a bit anxious.'

'Hey, is there a restaurant around here?' Nobu asked eagerly.

'Nobu! This isn't the time to be looking for restaurants! Here, why don't you help me look through the papers?'

'Naruto-sensei… Help me! And where are you going?' Nobu asked curiously.

'The bridge. I'm gonna find more clues, and you should stay here and help Chikako. Hey, Kazuki, since you have nothing to do, you can help me!'

Kazuki frowned, displeased, but reluctantly agreed. 'Fine, after all, a Kien _always_ do his-'

'Will you shut it with your Kien crap?' Chikako's statement came off rather rudely. 'Umm… I mean, will you stop mentioning your clan name in every single sentence?'

While the revised statement sounded less morbid, Kazuki wasn't going to continue on the subject.

'Let's go, Naruto-sensei.'

* * *

'Which one should we kill first? The jounin will be more of a challenge.'

'But the genin poses _no_ threat, so what's the point in killing him?'

'The jounin could block one of the needles, which will render the attack useless. The genin might not be fast enough to avoid a critical spot, which makes him the easier target. We shouldn't risk it.'

'If you're gonna be difficult… How about both? We can just knock them out temporarily, by the time they're conscious, we'll be finished. That'll get two at once, _and_ increase the chance of success; leaving only two measly genins to face this.'

'H-hai… That's better… At least we don't have to-'

'You're still disapproving of killing, aren't you?'

'No… Just a bit… nervous, I guess, but I can handle it. I'll do this for Banrai-niisan.'

'Why did you even choose to become a shinobi, Enrai? You're too soft- too kind-hearted.'

'Don't feel sorry for me, Mato-san. I have enough of that.'

'Fine… Now, watch closely, and you'll see why then call me the undefeated Chuunin…' he smirked, and watched the two Konoha shinobis, senbon needles between his fingers.

* * *

'Hey, Chikako, we should compare Inari-san's drawing with these ones…'

'Good idea. Then we can estimate the distances and angles between each-'

'That wasn't what I meant… but… okay…'

* * *

'Can you find anything, sensei? We really should've brought a flashlight.'

'We're looking in the dark with a reason, Kazuki. It's to train our senses.'

Kazuki wasn't sure whether his sensei was serious or he was just giving a lame excuse for forgetting to get a flashlight.

It looked like he was serious, as he was sniffing the ruins.

'Naruto-sensei… I can't sniff out things!'

'But you have keen senses, Kazuki. Don't tell me you were number one rookie for nothing.'

'Yosh! I can do it!' Kazuki cheered, then felt the rough textures of the rubbles.

'Which explosion is this?' Kazuki asked.

'This one's the first one. I wouldn't be leading you to a place I didn't know, would I?'

'Chikako would've said you would.'

'Yeah, well, that's her. Now try to find something new.'

'Okay, sensei… Ouch!' Kazuki yelped in pain, then looked at his hand. It had a small prick on it, and blood was slightly pouring out.

'Oh, for the love of Kien!' Kazuki said 'I'm bleeding! And how the heck did a needle get here, anyway?'

The two ninjas watching them froze.

'Enrai… did you leave a senbon needle behind?' he asked.

'No, it must be one of yours,' she lied. 'I still have the original amount; there was one missing from the beginning.'

Mato, not believing her (and she knew it) decided not to discuss the topic any further, in order to continue the mission as planned. 'Yeah. Yeah, I guess, so, I'll check.'

'You know, Yondaime-sama told us it was probably chuunins handling this mission, not a genin team. This makes it easier in a way. And it looks like he was wrong…'

'Even the Fourth makes mistakes sometimes. Anyway, the jounin is still in the way; he could make the situation harder than it was meant to be. This mission should be A-rank to start with.'

'The jounins aren't needed for measly tasks such as these. Calm down, Enrai, we only have to get two people.'

'…'

'We don't have to kill anyone this time…' Mato put a hand on Enrai's shoulder comfortingly. 'If you mess up, I'll be there to fix it.'

'Thank you, Mato-san.'

'No need to be so polite, Enrai, we're friends, right?'

'Well… I guess…'

'Good. Now aim.'

* * *

'Naruto-sensei… what's so interesting about the needle?'

'Wait, Kazuki,' Naruto warded off, then examined the needle.

'It doesn't seem like it's poisoned… it's meant to hit you on precise points, not to enter poison into your body…'

'So… I'm okay?'

Naruto's face darkened under the moonlight. 'Listen, Kazuki. We have company; pretend you didn't know anything, but _be alert_. Keep a shuriken or two by your side, and listen to every single noise you hear.'

Kazuki gulped, and slightly nodded.

'Good. Now, be careful. If I was to help you, they'll run away, and we won't be able to find out who they are; I believe they could be the ones who's been doing this to the bridge.'

Kazuki stared at his teacher. Naruto-sensei's brain skills were seriously underrated.

'Ano sa… Why do you think so, sensei?'

Before Naruto was able to answer, he jumped out of the way of raining needles.

'Damn! I missed! I thought at least one would hit a critical spot!' Mato cursed. 'Hurry up, Enrai, or else the jounin will run away with the genin.'

'H-hai…' she replied, and fumbled over her needles.

'Kazuki, run!' Naruto commanded. 'This is serious!'

'Na-Naruto-sen-'

'They could kill you! Hurry up, run!'

Kazuki sped towards Tazuna's house, looking back every few seconds, wondering what is in store for his sensei.

Suddenly, a girl, about sixteen years of age, appeared in front of him. She was wearing a standard chuunin vest.

'Are you a shinobi?' Kazuki asked.

Before he knew it, the girl launched towards him. He blocked her punches and kicks with no ease. She was quicker than him, and he knew it.

'_You can do it, Kazuki… Blood is just a part of a shinobi's life…'_

'Argh!' Kazuki screamed, as he stabbed the kunai through the girl's stomach.

His father told him, if he was to kill, never hesitate. Hesitating will bring more pain than necessary to the victim. The least you can do is to give them a quick death.

'Now _that's_ the Kien way,' his father stated proudly.

Kazuki panted. He was hesitating right now. Should the kunai be deeper? Should he just end it?

Then a log appeared from a cloud of smoke instead.

'Kawarimi!' he exclaimed, and looked around.

He looked behind him, and senbon needles were launched towards him.

Nothing a Kien can avoid, he thought.

Kazuki ducked out of the way, and held out the kunai threateningly.

'Don't move. I will give no harm if you do the same,' the girl bargained, dropping the senbon needles she was holding to the ground.

Kazuki paused, before dropping his own kunai. 'Why did you attack me, though?'

'I mistook you for someone else.' Contrary to her stuttering in front of Mato, Enrai was a pretty good liar.

'Oh… I see… You're a shinobi, right? Which village did you come from?'

'Amegakure. We're allies.' And the lies added on.

'Okay… Well… I'm Kazuki. What's your name?'

_Ah. He's trusting enough to announce his first name, but careful enough not to mention his last. The typical Konoha shinobi._

'My name is Enrai.' She might as well do the same.

'So… Enrai-san… what brings you here?'

'Family business,' she lied smoothly.

'Oh! Do you have relatives here?' he asked.

'A few. How about your family?'

'I'm from the great, marvellous, KIEN CLAN!' he grinned after that.

_Looks like she overestimated the Konoha shinobis._

Enrai thought it would be better to knock him out as soon as possible.

She threw senbon needles towards the boy, and it would be too fast for him to avoid this time. She almost felt guilty for doing so, but hey, it was her job.

The boy disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

'_Kawarimi, too?'_

It seemed that the boy was quick as well, and his instinct didn't prove him wrong.

Shuriken attacks launched towards her, which she avoided.

'Don't underestimate Kien Kazuki, Enrai-san… I'm not _that_ slow…'


End file.
